Why are AAA games more expensive to make?

The gaming industry has changed a lot over the past few decades, from technological advancements to visual fidelity and scope; the games today are way more complex. More complex games mean more costs and longer development times, which have surpassed anything we’ve seen before.

Why are video games getting more expensive to make?

Over the last 30 years, development budgets increased from up to a million dollars to hundreds of millions, and development usually takes 5-8 years. Multiple factors play into this, from increased scope and visual fidelity of modern AAA games that require larger teams to occasional changes in the game’s direction that cost precious time (and money).